Use Obi202 with Tel-Sentry 3.1 call screener?

[rvaessen]

Hello -

I have an Obi202 device with Anveo VoIP service. I'm using it successfully as my home phone (much cheaper than CenturyLink) but I would like to block incoming robo-calls/telemarketers.

I've discovered a device that looks like it will do the job nicely (the Tel-Sentry 3.1 call screener), but I'm hesitant to buy it as I'm not sure it will work with my Obi202 appliance/VoIP service.

Has anyone successfully integrated a Tel-Sentry 3.1 call screener into a Obi/VoIP set-up? Or, is it possible to perform the same type of call screening and whitelisting capability (see the Tel-Sentry 3.1 call screener for details) using native Obi device(s)?

- Robert

[drgeoff]

There are many posts here about blocking calls.  Have you done any searches using terms such as 'obihai nomorobo' and 'obihai telemarketers'?

If the Tel-Sentry works by comparing the incoming CLI against a list then there is no reason it should not work with an OBi202.

[rvaessen]

Yes, I tried a search - I searched for Sentry 3.1, Tel-Sentry 3.1 and Tel-Sentry, but I didn't find any relevant topics. The Sentry 3.1 device doesn't just compare to a black list. The Sentry device responds to calls with a pre-recorded message prompting 'humans' to press 0 and call back (you can also leave a message if you want). The caller is then 'white-listed' and the call-back is put through to the phone.

I'm not looking for a simple black-listing function, as those are fairly useless. Telemarketers just make up the numbers they use (so it's a constant whack-a-mole contest which will eventually result in all phone numbers being black listed), and it doesn't help unknown valid (human) callers.

The nomorobo solution allows you to create/implement a whitelist, but it doesn't allow human callers to request whitelisting. With nomorobo, you have to 'know' the numbers you want to whitelist before they can get through.

[Lavarock7]

A don't know anything about Anveo but Voip.Ms and others have an Automated attendant and caller-id function. Play a recording, wait for a correct response and pass the call along.

As for nomorobo, it works with groups, and it looks like Anveo does that too, you create a group which rings multiple plavces and one is NOMOROBO. It will cost you noithing and eliminate many calls.

[drgeoff]

Yes, I tried a search - I searched for Sentry 3.1, Tel-Sentry 3.1 and Tel-Sentry, but I didn't find any relevant topics. The Sentry 3.1 device doesn't just compare to a black list. The Sentry device responds to calls with a pre-recorded message prompting 'humans' to press 0 and call back (you can also leave a message if you want). The caller is then 'white-listed' and the call-back is put through to the phone.

I'm not looking for a simple black-listing function, as those are fairly useless. Telemarketers just make up the numbers they use (so it's a constant whack-a-mole contest which will eventually result in all phone numbers being black listed), and it doesn't help unknown valid (human) callers.

The nomorobo solution allows you to create/implement a whitelist, but it doesn't allow human callers to request whitelisting. With nomorobo, you have to 'know' the numbers you want to whitelist before they can get through.

Those are not the terms I asked if you had searched against.

If you want a device with the functionality of Tel-Sentry, you need to use a Tel-Sentry or equivalent device.  An Obi can be configured through a browser to maintain on-board white and/or black lists but that does not have the convenience of the Tel-Sentry method.  And there are hard limits to the size of those lists.

I have not used a Tel-Sentry or similar so cannot guarantee that it will work with an OBi but fully expect that it would.  There is no unique technology in the Tel-Sentry.  See https://www.cprcallblocker.com/collections/all-product for one range of similar offerings in the UK.

[azrobert]

You can setup the OBi Auto Attendant to require callers to enter a "1" to complete the call. A whitelist can be used to bypass this process for family and friends.

[azrobert]

With nomorobo, you have to 'know' the numbers you want to whitelist before they can get through.

NoMoRobo will block calls using their own blacklist.